Whether you do your pedicures at home or you head to the salon to get your toes in shape, your feet have been stuck in winter boots and shoes for months. It’s time for a little self-care! That’s why we’ve written this short “how to” on getting your feet ready for the spring and summer weather - meaning ready for open-toe shoes and a little more exposure to the elements. Not only do you want you toes looking pretty, but you also want your feet protected and comfortable in all types of shoes.

1. Soak your feet. Whether you have a fancy foot tub, you have a bathtub, or you just have a few deep bowls, it’s time to give your feet a bit of TLC. Fill your tub or bowl with warm - almost hot water and pour in some Epsom salts. You can make a homemade sugar scrub with 2 parts coconut oil and 1 part brown sugar along with a drop or two of essential oils, too!

2. Scrub your feet. Use a pumice stone to scrub your heels along with any calluses. Then use your favorite scrub or soap to get the rest of your feet sudsy and clean

3. Dry your feet and give them a deep moisturizing treatment. Massage in the Hand and Heel Creme of your choice, giving your cuticles particular attention. If your cuticles are creeping up onto your nail, you may want to push it back with an orangewood stick.

You will likely want to repeat this process a few times, as it will take more than one scrub to make your feet smooth and soft.

4. Moisturize in between soaks as well. While you’re giving your feet the royal treatment, be sure to moisturize after your daily shower or bath as well. This will give any cracks or extreme dryness time to heel.

Here at Sage Stone Botanicals, we use organic and natural ingredients in every product. We do this by making each product by hand in small batches. That’s also how we are able to avoid adding unnecessary and toxic chemicals to our products.

Unfortunately, not every skin care company keeps things as natural as we do. Here are ten toxic chemicals that you will find in everyday skincare and body care products:

1. Coal Tar

This ingredient is banned in Europe but is still used here in North America.

2. Formaldehyde

Often used as a preservative in hair dye, shampoos, and eyelash adhesives, this ingredient is an irritant and a possible carcinogen.

3. Fragrance/Parfum

Many people have an allergic reaction to Fragrance in products. If you have gotten a rash from Fragrance in one product, but not in another, it’s because this term is a catchall for a number of chemicals.

4. Mercury

Used in some makeup products, mercury is a toxic chemical and an allergen.

5. Parabens

Many of us are on the lookout for parabens these days. They have been linked to breast cancer and tumors.

6. Phthalates

This group of chemicals is often found both in makeup and in personal care products like perfume or lotions. This is another chemical that has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer - as well as reproductive birth defects.

7. Propylene glycol

Unfortunately, this alcohol has been connected with skin conditions like dermatitis and allergic reactions like hives. It’s found in a variety of products, from sunscreen to shampoo.

8. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) or (SLES)

While SLS’s are an irritant on their own, they react poorly to being combined with other chemicals. Different combinations of SLS and additional chemicals can form a carcinogen and can cause kidney or respiratory damage.

9. Toluene

This ingredient is derived from petroleum or coal tar and is a potent solvent. It can affect your respiratory system and may even cause developmental damage when used by expectant moms.

10. Triclosan

This is an antimicrobial chemical that not only inhibits microbial growth but also disrupts the endocrine system. Studies have also indicated that it may contribute to the formation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Be sure to check out the ingredients list of any skincare, haircare, or body care products you are planning to buy before making your purchase. Avoiding these chemicals can not only keep you and your family healthy - it can benefit your local lakes, rivers, and streams!

Are you looking for all-natural skincare options? Look no further! We have you covered with our body lotions, all-purpose soaps, lip balms, and organic bug repellent!

Many of us not only take Vitamin E as a supplement, but we make sure to use this effective ingredient on our skin. This makes a lot of sense - since your skin is your largest organ in your body. Besides feeding your skin the nutrients it needs to feel healthy, there are many reasons we care for our skin. You may be hoping to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, to ease symptoms of skin conditions like eczema, or to get comfortable. Whatever reasons for taking special care of your skin, Vitamin E is likely to benefit your mission.

Why Does Vitamin E Benefit Skin Health?

Vitamin E is an antioxidant. This means that this vitamin works to prevent or halt cell damage. Though we consume antioxidants every day in our morning cup of Joe, in fruits and veggies, and even in our favorite chocolates, applying an antioxidant directly to a damaged area can focus its benefits and provide specific regions of your skin with a needed boost.

While working to halt cell damage, Vitamin E is also considered an anti-inflammatory. This means that it can help soothe flare-ups of common skin ailments like rashes and eczema.

What Skin Issues Can Vitamin E Help With?

There are many skin complaints and difficulties that a diet and skincare regimen rich in Vitamin E can help with. These include:

Rough skin

Vitamin E is a great moisturizer and can soften rough, dry skin. It’s ideal for areas that are primarily damaged like calloused heels or wind/sunburned skin.

Chapped lips

Your chapped lips can get extra moisture from Vitamin E.

Dry, cracked cuticles

Cracked, dry, or peeling cuticles are uncomfortable, to say the least. And, it’s unsanitary to clip them off! Instead of heading out to get a mani/pedi and ridding yourself of your cuticles, try rubbing some Vitamin E lotion on them.

Aging spots

Vitamin E’s function is to halt or prevent cell damage, so it’s an excellent support for products that work to reduce the appearance of brown aging spots.

Wrinkles

Wrinkles can be caused by many things including damaged or dry skin as well as skin damage. While we can’t guarantee that Vitamin E will make anyone wrinkle free, it’s certainly an excellent moisturizer and can help your skin look and feel more elastic.

Are you looking for vitamin rich skincare solutions? Find out more about our body lotion and hand and heel creams! Just click here.

The incredible scent of jasmine is something that we don’t all get to experience in nature. These delicate white flowers bloom in spring, summer, and fall in warm, sunshiny areas. It can be tough to grow these lovely plants here in the Pacific Northwest or other northerly areas - unless you happen to have a greenhouse.

Fortunately, jasmine’s delightful scent has been captured in essential oils and bath and body products so that it can be enjoyed all year round.

Health Benefits of Jasmine Essential Oil

The scent of jasmine does more just delight the senses. It can provide several unexpected health benefits! Here are five ways using our jasmine products can help you, all day long:

1. Jasmine can work as a mood lifter, stimulating the release of mood brightening hormones like serotonin. A whiff of jasmine can bring you a burst of energy, reduce stress, and elevate your mood, making you happier and more productive throughout your day!

2. This flower has naturally antiseptic properties. Not only can jasmine essential oils be used as a topical antiseptic, it can even reduce respiratory infections and help to relieve cough symptoms when inhaled. So, just sniffing jasmine can make you feel more healthy!

3. It helps to improve dry, brittle, cracked, and even scarred skin. Jasmine naturally provides moisture to your skin, helping it feel smoother and more comfortable. It may also be used to reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks.

Jasmine is also often used to help soothe and ease symptoms of eczema and other uncomfortable skin conditions.

4. Because jasmine can help to relieve stress, it is often used as a sleep aid. This scent can help keep your sleep calm and restful.

5. Jasmine is a great option for those who suffer from spasms or cramps. If you have a cough or cold, this scent can help prevent non-productive coughing and can alleviate other spasms caused by a tough workout, menstrual cramps, and more.

We bet you didn’t know all of the above about jasmine! If you are hoping to benefit from this fantastic oil, naturally, don’t hesitate to enjoy our organic, handmade jasmine lotion. It’s available both as a body lotion and as our ultra moisturizing hand and heel cream.

All-purpose soaps like the organic hand and body wash we make at Sagestone Botanicals can be used for a lot more than just cleaning skin. Here are seven ways you can use our soap in everyday life:

1. As a gentle, all-purpose cleaner

All-purpose soaps have disinfecting power, whether you are using them on your skin or on your kitchen counters. Just mix a quart cup of all-purpose soap with a quart of warm water, stir well and then spray onto your countertops.

2. Thoroughly washing produce

There is so much on the skin of our produce these days, from dirt to wax to pesticides. All-purpose soap can help get your food nice and clean. Just mix a quarter teaspoon into a bowl of water, then stir. Once your mix is ready, use the bowl to pre-wash your fruits and veggies before rinsing them thoroughly with cold water.

3. Moisturizing hand wash

Our organic soap has oil as its base, so washing your hands with it can help keep your skin moisturized - even when you don’t have time to top off your routine with lotion.

4. Cleaning dishes

Try all-purpose soap for handwashing dishes. Because our products are biodegradable, they are ideal for both disinfecting and cleaning your dishes - and they won’t pollute our waterways.

5. Plant bug spray

It can be hard to find a gentle, natural bug spray for your plants. All-purpose soap is a quick and easy solution. Just mix one tablespoon of soap into a quart of water and spray the solution onto your plants to help get them bug-free.

6. Shampoo

Shampoo is just soap for your hair. Our all-purpose soap is safe for your scalp and your hair. Plus, having an all-in-one soap/shampoo combo makes holiday packing that much easier!

7. Face wash

You can ditch the expensive face wash in favor of our gentle, organic, all-purpose soap. It is sulfate and paraben free, and has its base in natural oils, so the soap is very gentle on your skin.

We know that many of you are working hard to shop responsibly, but it can be hard. Packaging carries buzzwords like “natural” - but sometimes these words mean very little. That’s why we wanted to help by giving a quick “how to” on buying your soaps and lotions responsibly.

Read the Label

Remember that all of your soaps and lotions will soak into your skin - and many products will go down your drains and into our waterways and streams. Read the label and buy items with ingredients you can understand. Some ingredients to avoid include:

Fragrance

Parabens

Propylene Glycol

Triclosan

Sulfates

Synthetics

Ureas

Look for biodegradable products

You would think that skincare products would naturally be biodegradable, but unfortunately this is not always the case. When shopping for your soaps, lotions, and creams, be sure to find products that are biodegradable. Not only will these generally be healthier for you, when they wash into our waterways they will break down into nontoxic components.

When buying artisanal soaps and lotions, try buying direct from the manufacturer. This can help the manufacturer see a higher percentage of their profits - and it provides you with a direct line to the people making the product so that all of your questions can be answered at the source. Finally, buying direct is often cheaper - so it can help you save money, too!

Look for labels that mean something

Labels like “organic” or “fair trade” have a legal meaning. However, a label like “natural” may mean very little. If you aren’t sure what the label means, contact the manufacturer directly and get it clarified. Many artisanal or handmade products are produced by people who are eager to talk about their best practices.

Shopping for biodegradable, natural skin care products requires a little more thought than just grabbing something from your local big box store. However, the results make the extra care worth the trouble!